It's Just Us When the Crowd Goes Home
by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsEmily
Summary: OLD TITLE: ONE NOT-SO-NORMAL DAY -I'm just a regular girl trying to make it through junior year. However, I'm stuck in an often comical dilemma–I play flute in marching band and have a huge crush on the quarterback… but could he really like me back…?
1. Encounters After the Crowd Goes Home

Emily Scarano

Emily Scarano

Per. 8

10/11/07

A Not-So-Normal Day

My alarm went off as usual at the ungodly hour of 5:03 am. I reached over to turn off the terrible beep-beep-beeping before it got louder and became BEEP-BEEP-BEEPING, and hurried into the bathroom to take a shower. See? It really was a normal day to begin with. I put on my new white jeans and decided to straighten my hair. I was actually excited to wear my new coat because it was finally cold enough. It was a Friday and I was looking forward to the football game after school.

It was the second to last home game and Mr. B said he wanted us to be on the front field of our high school at five o'clock instead of the usual five-thirty. Why did I have to be at school two hours before the football game which starts at seven? Well, I play the flute in marching band and, unfortunately, we have to come early to practice the half-time show and music. I think band members don't get enough credit; we practice twice a week for four hours and two hours the day of the football game, and everyone goes to get snacks at the Booster club's stand during the show! Anyway, I was on time to practice, for about the first time.

"Hey Alyssa, did you hear about Austin and Michelle? They broke up like three days ago and I just found out!"

I sighed, "Yeah Liz, I know, I heard this morning, but it's not like it really matters…" Let's just say that I have liked Austin for a very many years, and I think the most I ever said to him was a mumbled and probably not understandable, "Excuse me." Once.

"Don't say that! You still have a chance! Maybe"—

"Still? When did I have one to begin with?"

"Ugh! Stop! Listen to my plan! We'll talk to his brother if he comes to talk to the bass drummers like last time, and we can ask discrete questions about him!"

I smiled, "That's actually a good idea," but thought sarcastically to myself, 'Wow, then we'll know more unnecessary information and he'll totally love me. This is definitely the best plan I ever heard.'

So band practice progressed uneventfully for the most part, except for finding out that my gloves were rather moldy, which was more horror than excitement. John, the alto saxophone player (and sadly, my only guy friend), whacked me in the head with my own flute when I mentioned my inability to read the notes below the middle notes of the bar. It hurt for a while actually.

While walking from the band room about to march in full uniform (hat, plume, gloves, etc.), and this uniform, by the way, makes anyone in it looks like a short, ugly, rather fat boy, I heard someone calling my name.

I suppose this is the part where the "not-so-normalness" comes in. Well, I turned when I heard a loud "Alyssa!" coming from closer to the stands, where we were marching to, even though I knew perfectly well that my name is not that uncommon and it probably wasn't me. I saw Nick, Austin's younger brother waving, surprisingly, in my direction, and he said my name again. So I hesitatingly waved back. The reason I hesitated is because, well, I do not really know Nick. At all. I mean I know his name and he knows mine because we have been in a lot of classes together over the years, but the most conversation I have had with him consists of the occasional, "What did you get?" or, "Did you think it was easier than last week?" or, "I got a 92, ha-ha I'm smarter," in Math class.

However, when I waved back he stopped waving, so I guess I was right in assuming that he was talking to me, but one can never really be too sure about these things. So there I was, confused, but what could I do? So I continued marching and went to sit in the stands (our band is huge so there is red-colored bleacher seats, reserved especially for us). Then, sure enough, after playing "Get Ready for this," Nick was over in the band section, talking to Mike, one of the drummers that sit in front of the flutes. With a smile and nudge from Liz, I was about to ask Nick about the waving thing, but was interrupted before I could even start.

"Hey Alyssa, I heard that you like my bother," Nick said with that stupid grin that I'd seen before when he got a better grade than me in math.

I was so embarrassed, I could barely talk, but I managed to chough out a small, "Who told you that?"

"I don't remember, just this person, but that's cool cause I think he likes you too, you just gotta go talk to him, or whatever."

"Are you kidding me?" I was proud that the sound was a little easier to understand. The first conclusion I came to was that he must be kidding. Seriously though, what other conclusion could a never-been-asked-out-or-liked-by-a-guy-for-more-then-two-days-kind-of-girl come too? Liz was laughing and talking excitedly but I couldn't really hear her until I pulled myself back to reality.

"Alyssa! Did you hear that? This is great! You have to talk to him! I'll come with you! We can all go, me, you and Gianna too, don't worry, and we'll be there the whole time! It won't be that awkward at all! This is going to work out great!"

She was obviously having a ball, but I could _not_ talk to him. When I told her this, however, she refused to let me get away with it, so I was stuck; after the game we were all going to the outside benches near the locker room, where the football players and their friends usually hang out after the game. Then, once I was there I was going to talk to Austin, or be made to talk to Austin. Forcefully.

To put it bluntly, I was not excited or happy about this. At all. It was not going to work! Austin was going to say, "I don't even know who you are," or worse, "I don't like you," and I was not looking forward to be on the receiving end of that conversation.

It was absolutely unbelievable how soon half the game was over, then the half-time show was over too! There was only one minute left until we played "Rocky," because we won, and the rest of the band got to go home. Huh, time really does fly when you're having fun.

"Hey Alyssa, don't worry, me and Liz will be there the whole time and I swear, you look so cute! He can't ignore you! The worst that can happen is that he says no, you can get over that I'm sure! We'll help you! But trust me, you won't have too!"

Gianna wasn't just saying that, I could tell she really meant it. Its hard to explain, but at that moment I decided I would just go with the flow.

As I approached the bench, where Austin was, with his longish wavy dark brown hair blowing in the cold breeze and a really nice dark blue sweatshirt on, I can honestly say that I could hear my own heart beat. The funny thing was though, that Nick was nowhere to be seen, the one time when I needed him to explain why I was there, and he wasn't there. It figures. He was sitting on the top on the bench, with his feet on the seat; he was there with a lot of other people, I didn't know if that was good or not, but I figured they at least wouldn't be able to hear the conversation.

Liz tapped him on his perfect back and he turned his perfect head and said, "Hey."

That was it. I could have died. I decided to let Liz do the talking.

"Your Nick's brother right?"

"Yeah, Why?"

"Well he told us that you said something about Alyssa…"

It was rather obvious she didn't know where to take the conversation from there. It was just about to become the future most worst moment of my life, but then Nick sauntered over waving at (presumably) me and held his hand out for a pound-it. I did it and replied with a feeble, "What's up?" Throughout this little meeting, however, I grew more conscience of the fact that Austin was looking rather confused. I had expected it; somehow it still made me feel horrible, but I knew that Austin wasn't the type to just not react at all. All the things I know about him and he probably doesn't even know we have lunch together!

Nick started talking to Liz and Gianna about some crazy teacher they had together, so I was kind of left out of the conversation for a few minutes; Austin also made a few comments on this teacher who I had never heard of.

Nick stepped in to recite what he had told us during the game. He didn't do it very well, in my opinion at least. I mean really! What kind of guy just comes out and says "Oh yeah, and I heard that you guys like each other! So how's that working out for you?" and finishes it off with one of those I'm-a-really-cool-guy kind of laughs?!

Well I was just a little dumfounded at this point, but, thank God, Austin was not. He smiled and said something I couldn't catch; I think it might have just been the fact that my heart beat was a just a tad too loud, and pounding in my ears.

"What?"

"I said that's funny, no one told me, but it's good to know." And he laughed too, but it was a much better laugh, like ringing-bells.

I swear that I had something really witty to say somewhere in the back of my mind, but unfortunately, when someone like Austin is smiling down at you, it is a little hard to breathe, let alone think of something witty.

But I didn't need to think of anything, Liz's phone rang and she said, "Oh sorry guys, our ride is hear, see ya Monday."

I received an "Aww," from both the brothers and a goodbye from Nick.

I was just about to turn around and walk into the open door of Liz's mom's minivan, but I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see the bright beautiful face of Austin looking at me. I almost fainted when I heard what he said next.

"Hey, see you in lunch."


	2. PreLUNCH Movie Theater Meetings

**Hello everyone!! Emily here, I have been working on this chapter all week and I'm really glad I got it done!!**

**I am really sorry that I don't really have any descriptions of the characters, but i did get a description of Nick, Alyssa and Alex in this one, so i plan to describe the others in later chapters, and Alyssa gets a last name! – **

**Also- This chapter has much less to do with band then the first one, sorry! **

**Also!!- I'm really really sorry that this chapter is not actually about the infamous "Lunch" scene, but I felt like I couldn't just leave the weekend out, and it was a good chance to introduce Michelle. **

**I absolutely promise that the next chapter will be "LUNCH." ;)**

Previously in "One Not-So-Normal Day":

Liz's phone rang and she said, "Oh sorry guys, our ride is hear, see ya Monday."

I received an "Aww," from both the brothers and a goodbye from Nick.

I was just about to turn around and walk into the open door of Liz's mom's minivan, but I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see the bright beautiful face of Austin looking at me. I almost fainted when I heard what he said next.

"Hey, see you in lunch."

* * *

Well, I think I can safely say that I have not been in my right mind since the night of the football game.

I have determined that it must have been either from the rather abrupt realization that Austin knows I exist, or (more likely) from the pretty-near-concussion I received immediately after this realization, when I attempted to look the _tiniest_ bit calm as I climbed into the car to get in my seat, and I miraculously managed to bump my head into the top of Liz's car. (Wow that was a really long sentence.)

It was really embarrassing actually. Considering how everyone was there and all. And how Austin, to my best knowledge (which means what Liz told me afterwards) was watching me walk away.

On Saturday morning, as I was contemplating this, and what a ridiculously awesome thing it would be if I could really believe that it actually happened, I got a phone call from my other non-band friend Lauren, who was sadly not present when the aforementioned calamity involving my head occurred. I asked her if she would like to go to the mall and invite Liz and Gianna also.

Okay, okay, so I really invited Liz and Gianna so that I could have a really good excuse to talk about my Austin situation, and if they were there, they would back me up. Hopefully.

So, Lauren's mother drops us off at the movie theater entrance and we walk up the steps into the movie theater. Our aim was to walk through the theater and out the entrance into the mall near the food court.

Unfortunately, our progress was stalled by the sudden appearance of a certain someone.

That someone was walking the opposite way – out of the theater, so we could see him and he could see us.

Yet again I received a wave from none other than my (hopefully) future brother in law. He did look very nice today, he looks a lot like Austin, only his hair is much curlier and Austin is just more… crush-worthy. To me at least.

Truth be told- I did not really want to have this conversation again, especially since, if it involved Austin, (and it had to since he really did not have anything else to say to me), I could only imagine how red my cheeks would turn. Various shades of a deep tomato color rushed into my mind.

"Hey, Alyssa!" He called as he closed the short distance between himself and my posse, regrettably my making escape an impossibility, "What's up Liz? Gianna?"

"Oh, hey Nick, what are you doing here?" I answered back as I put on my best almost-authentic smile and tried to hide my probably now crimson/cherry/vermillion colored ears under my hair.

"Duh, I work here! Austin's coming to pick me up, so I was just going to wait outside, I'm a little late, but Austin is never on time," he laughed, and we all laughed together a little awkwardly.

I smiled for real at that. Aww, Austin is always late! So am I! We can hang out and go to parties and stuff and be late _together_!

"Oh, cool." Liz said, as Gianna and Lauren started to laugh harder at my already lost-in-dreamland-being-late-with-Austin expression, and we all laughed less awkwardly together.

Just then, Lauren looked over at me from the other side of Liz and gave me a funny look. She moved her head and raised her eyebrows for a second, like she was trying to tell me to look a certain direction.

"Yeah, I was just looking for Michelle; she needed a ride too," Nick smiled and started to look in the same direction Lauren had motioned to.

And that's when I realized what Lauren's little head nod was all about. Michelle Palmer was sauntering right over to our odd little gang. Michelle is this gorgeous and popular girl with perfectly straightened red hair, but the kind of red hair that could easily make any blonde jealous, not to mention me, my natural brunette hair and my fake red highlights, and don't forget about her perfect green eyes and long legs, it really isn't surprising that Austin would date a girl like her, not a short, small girl like me, with brown eyes, who tries to make her hair look perfect every morning and has only recently reached close-to-success. Anyway, I really would have killed to have hair naturally that prefect red.

I had never really disliked her personally or anything, but the fact that she had been going out with Austin, the love of _my_ life, for like a month and a half seems to me a good enough reason to have a slightly negative attitude toward the woman.

"Nick, how the hell could you have gotten from all the way over there-" she stood on tippy-toe and reached her arms up to point to somewhere over the popcorn stand and held out the poise as long as it took her to elongate the word. She made "there," into "thair-eeeeh." She continued when the word was done, "-To waaaay over here?" She moved her already outstretched arms to follow the distance and did the same thing she did to the word "there," to the word "way."

I admit it, I already didn't like her. She looked like she was showing off herself or something with all those raised arm poises! Like she was showing off her arms! Who shows off their _arms_?! In the middle of a movie theater lobby!

I mean she did have good arms, I guess, but I was more concerned with how she was wearing flip flops! She obviously didn't realize it was _cold_ out. Ugh! And she has nice manicured feet! Obviously _her_ feet have never been forced to wear those goofy orthopedic-like marching band shoes!

"Austin just texted me that he is actually waiting on time for us today," she half laughed at/with Nick, and smirked at me.

"That's a first," Nick laughed and started walking away with her before he turned to say goodbye.

We all said our goodbyes and made our way into the mall.

"He still texts his Ex!! What is wrong with him?! Someone else's number should replace that girl's. Someone's as in _mine_." I sighed in exaggerated irritation and we all burst into laughter a second later.

* * *

We walked around the mall for a while after that, about four hours.

It was mostly uneventful except for the occasional bump-into-the-fancy-mannequin, and of course we all know how much fun it is when you try to order chicken and noodles at the hibachi place and wind up with rice and pork, and how they give you a flimsy little Styrofoam cup filled with your coke and as soon as you stick your straw through it, it goes right through the cup and soda squirts out _everywhere_ on _everybody_. Even strangers. (Which can make cleaning up rather problematic.)

"And to think! It was the only thing you managed to order correctly in the first place!" Lauren humorously criticized me later on the phone the next day, Sunday.

"Well, at least I cleaned it up, right? And what was with those people who sat next to us!? They were all like, giving me the cold stare when I just apologizing and wiping their stupid table off!?" I said.

Lauren and I burst into laughter before she even said it because I knew what she was going to say.

"That's because they didn't speak English!!"

... Well, the rest of Sunday was really just a blah/normal day.

Unfortunately I had to get up early (nothing compared to my 5:00ish on weekdays, but early for the week_end_) for church, then head off to Wegmans. Ugh, Wegmans, also known as the store where-you-can't-walk-in-without-seeing-one-of-those-kids-from-school-who-you-_kinda_-know-but-you're-not-sure-you-know-them-well-enough-to-say-"hi"-which-creates-awkward-moments-which-you-hate. (Well that's a very long pseudonym…)

But I think its worth it really for all those delectable chocolate muffins. Who cares when you have to go through the checkout line of that guy who liked your best friend last year before she told him she didn't want to have anything to do with him? Those muffins are THE best…

All in all, the weekend was _mostly_ all fun either way. (Excepting of course, the Michelle incident at the movies).

But things changed when I got off the bus and headed into school on Monday morning.

I had put on my favorite purple pants, (yes purple pants! How cool is that!? They're my favorite) because I was very nervous about the fact that today would be the first time ever that I would walk into lunch knowing that the boy I was scanning the room for actually knew I existed.

Anyway, my locker is in band hall of course, and is always either blocked by other clarinet players sitting doing homework, or drummers and trumpeters gathering in a big circle to talk… well I guess to talk… honestly I don't really know what they do, they just kind of stand there…

But Anyway, Alex, my drummer friend, who is a girl-drummer and therefore "stands there" with other people most of the mornings, sometimes including me, walked over presumably to say hello.

Alex is a very interesting person. She's like the friend you wouldn't have had if you weren't forced to ride the bus everyday. Which is how we became friends, actually, and had a lot of fun making up songs about our evil bus driver to the tune of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." She's all black-clothes and Buckcherry and Nirvana, but miraculously this girl is a freaking genus! She's in all honors classes and she's crazy smart and stuff.

"Alex, has anyone ever told you that you're a walking contradiction?" I joked with her after the hellos were exchanged.

"I get it all the time!" She laughed, "But also, I think I should tell you something, but its not big or anything, just that Michelle Palmer asked me about you this morning, she came down band hall with Nick when he was putting his guitar into the band room for rock-band, it was really creepy actually. (Laughter) She was like 'You know that girl, Alyssa Sorvino?" and when I said yeah she was like 'Is she like retarded or something?" and I was like "No, she's my friend."

"Well, thank you, Alex. Sheesh, that girl is really mean and annoying, we saw her at the mall actually on Saturday and she was all ... 'eeewwwwwww'." And I wiggled my fingers to better describe her eww-ness.

Alex laughed as the bell rang. "May the force be with you!" She said her version of "See you later," to me as I walked down the hall to my English class.

Yup, Mondays are always a _big_ change from the weekend, and boy was this going to be a long day.

* * *

**Hi everyone! I really hope you liked it!! **

**Chapter 3 will be up soon!! And be about lunch!! **

**IMPORTANT- I am thinking about changing the title of this story to something along the lines of "It's just us when the crowd goes home," or "When the game is over, it's just us," or "I'll see you after the game." So PLEASE tell me what you think of those!!**

**Review please! I always review back!! **

**Then go tell **_**all**_** your friends! ;)**


	3. The Infamous LUNCH Scene Part ONE

**Hello everyone!! I have decided to make this fic take place during the up-coming marching band season, (give me something to hope for, you know) ;)**

**so that means that I am making everything up about the class I say I'm going to and stuff, and in case you happen to be wondering, I am actually only a sophmore, but my narRator is officially a junior!**

**woohoooo!**

**ALSO: name ****pronunciation is: **

**Austin Colley – Ca- lee**

**Alyssa Sorvino soar – vee – no.**

**ENJOY!! **

* * *

**LUNCH. - PART ONE**

* * *

I was busy pulling my pen apart while my Algebra II teacher was droning on about how it seems as if none of us remember anything from our Algebra I classes freshman year. I wanted to hit the woman honestly; who remembers anything from two whole years ago?! Certainly nothing of the lessons anyway. No junior remembers what happened in Algebra I.

Unless they were in _my_ class, of course. That class was amazing. Last period. Bouncing (loudly) off the walls. One person's homework passed around for the whole class to copy. (Usually mine or Liz's) Mrs. Zephyr trying in vain to clam everyone down for two consecutive minutes. That hot senior, Mike, whose class was right across the hall. Those fire drills…

Bing. Bing. Bing.

I was startled out of my reminiscences when the bell rang. The whole class was out of the door before I put my pen back together. You'd think I'd have learned by now to pack up _before_ the first three minutes to get the next class were over, but I never got it. I don't think it's possible actually, it can't be learned. Everyone must have been born with it. Everyone else.

Anyway, I got out eventually and made my way to band hall. Band hall happens to be the hallway that the attendance office is in, so everyone who shows up late either goes there or to the science wing to get a pass. I don't actually know why you can go the science wing to get a late pass also, but there are teachers sitting in little desks by the doors handing out passes. One of those weird every-school-does-things-differently things…

Anyway, I had just turned the corner when I almost bumped into someone. Guess who that someone was.

Just guess!!

That's right.

Austin.

I said almost bumped into, right? Well... actually it was more of a totally-almost-knocked-me-down kind of "bumped into."

"Oh, sorry," he said. He must have noticed that I was about to collapse from shock. (He probably thought it was from him bumping into me. Ha. It was more like because HE had bumped into me), so he put his hands on my shoulders and steadied me. Oh My God. His hands are on my shoulders. "Oh, hey Alyssa!"

"Hi," I mumbled; I just barely could hear it myself.

The bell rang. He let go of my shoulders. The bell sucks.

"See you around," He smiled at me before walking calmly off to class. I guess it didn't really matter if he was late; he was a senior after all. And he did just get a pass.

Unfortunately for my stupid junior self, it was not okay to be late.

"Let's go, let's go," said that strange man who stands outside the band room everyday for God knows what reason. I have know idea what he teaches and I certainty don't know his name.

I waited for Gianna to catch up, we're usually the two late ones, and we walked into the room.

When we were in the instrument closet (where they keep the instruments) and I got my flute out, I walked over to Gianna trying to pull her French horn case off the shelf, I said, "You'll never guess who I just bumped into."

"Um… Yes I will… let's see… the grim reaper? And he told you that you only have seven days to live?"

"No," I laughed, "actually, it was someone much hotter."

"I know! It was Austin Colley."

"You betcha."

Her eyes widened but she smiled, "You totally have to tell me about it now."

I told her quickly because Mr. Skeet was about ready to have us play, "Okay, so he bumped into me and was like 'oh sorry,' then he recognized me and was like 'hey Alyssa,' and I was like, 'hi,' except it was really soft and he definitely didn't hear me so he absolutely thinks I'm a slow loser."

She finished getting her instrument out and said, "He does not think that," she laughed, "I'm impressed though, he remembered your name and everything; I can't wait until lunch!"

"Ugh, lunch!" I muttered as I took my seat in the front next to Beth and the other flutes and Gianna went to sit up with John and the other saxophones.

"Hey, Alyssa, you took that quiz in English right?" Beth asked me, "What were the answers?"

"Beth!" I laughed, "I don't remember! Get the answers from someone else!!"

So we continued our conversation about how I'm an absolutely useless friend, until we started playing the Christmas/ Holiday music, and then we pointed out our favorite parts during the rests. In case you were wondering, we played Holiday music during the end of the marching band season because our winter concert was in December and since it was November now we'd been playing the holiday stuff for a while.

I was putting my flute away when I realized that it was less than three minutes until lunch. Lunch with Austin. Well, not really with him, but kind of with the knowledge of him knowing not only that we have lunch together, but (from my recent meeting/ near-tumble in the hall) that he knows my name!

I was just a little nervous. And as always, my friends were extremely supportive and understanding.

"Alyssa! Come on! How can it take you so long to get your lunch out of your locker?! What are you doing?!"

I looked up at Gianna, the only one still waiting for me. I admit it; I was dawdling, but I had a reason!

"Giaaaanna!" I wined, "I can't go to lunch! I'm way to nervousssss!"

"Oh, shut up! Think about it, don't you _want_ Austin to know you exist, maybe he'll even talk to you today!? Come on! I'm hungry. I'll drag you if I have to!" Gianna threatened me.

"Ohhhhhhh, fine. I'm going, I'm going." I reluctantly agreed, but couldn't help adding, "going to make a fool of myself."

"That's right! You are, but it doesn't matter, I can tell he likes you. Everything will be aaaallllllll right." She smiled.

I wanted to die.

I walked as slow as I could out of band hall and down the hall that led to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was right across from the gym, so I looked inside and waved to Lauren, wishing I was there. We walked calmly (calmly describing Gianna, I was amazed I could walk I was shaking so hard) into the cafeteria and headed to our table. The tables are either long skinny rectangles or big circles, we had a big circle; it was a good thing too, because the people that had sat outside when it was warm had all come to our table now that it was cold.

I always thought it would be cool to sit outside, like people do in movies and TV shows all the time, but in real life, its not that cool. There are only three tables out there and it is a really small space; I admit it is beautiful on a nice day when you find a place to sit, but I'm perfectly happy inside.

Well anyway, thinking about the tables had calmed me down to the point so that I realized I didn't really want my peanut butter and jelly sandwich today, so I looked through my wallet to find the two dollars and ten cents I needed for when I rarely bought a turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch. I wound up asking for the extra ten cents from Beth, not getting it, and was about to ask Gianna, but remembered I owed her money already and didn't want to remind her, and finally asking Heather, a flag twirler, who gave it to me.

I was standing in line against the white painted (fake) brick wall when I noticed who was in the front of the line.

Austin, you say? Well guess again!

… Just kidding, it was him.

I must say he looked ridiculously gorgeous, even when he was unfolding his two dollars and ten cents to pay for lunch. He had my favorite blue and gray stripped oxford shirt on and my favorite light jeans. (Yes, I do have favorites of his wardrobe; don't tell me you've never done that!)

And just as I was admiring the way his perfect dark brown more-curly-than-wavy-but-still-not-really-_curly_ hair fell around his symmetrical face, and thinking the name "Alyssa Colley" over and over, that face glanced back and saw me. It smiled and I felt myself smiling back because he was just too cute (!)

And then he winked.

At me.

I couldn't have been me!? No! But there isn't anyone else behind me! Just a wall! OH DEAR. Could he have winked at the wall?! Why the hell would he do that?! But he must have! He did NOT just wink at me. No way on God's green earth could that have happened.

But it must have!

That was about the time it got harder to breathe, I was about to start hyperventilating (in the middle of the lunch line!) because Austin winked at me!

What the hell?! He winks at me and I get the wind knocked out of me?! How ridiculous is that!?

I looked up again and saw that he was still smiling at me through the now-crowded-because-everyone-was-cutting-me-because-I-was-just-standing-there lunch line.

I could have fainted.

* * *

**NOPE it's not over yet!! **

**I hope you all enjoyed it and please please review!!**

**I'll try to get more up soon!!**

**REVIEW!!**


	4. The Infamous LUNCH NURSE Scene Part TWO

**Hello everyone!! sorry i haven't written in a while! i've been busy!! i wanted to get this out last night but i wasnt quite finished with it, so i hope you all like it!!**

**ALSO: i am still considering a name change to "It's just us when the crowd goes home," or "I'll see you after the game." -- So PLEASE tell me what you think of those!!**

**ENJOY! and REVIEW!! **

Previously in One Not-So-Normal Day:

Liz's phone rang and she said, "Oh sorry guys, our ride is hear, see ya Monday."

I received an "Aww," from both the brothers and a goodbye from Nick.

I was just about to turn around and walk into the open door of Liz's mom's minivan, but I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see the bright beautiful face of Austin looking at me. I almost fainted when I heard what he said next.

"Hey, see you in lunch."

Lunch:

I was standing in line for lunch when I saw Austin. As I was admiring the way his perfect dark brown more-curly-than-wavy-but-still-not-really-_curly_ hair fell around his symmetrical face, and thinking the name "Alyssa Colley" over and over, that face glanced back and saw me. It smiled and I felt myself smiling back because he was just too cute!

And then he winked.

At me. …

I could have fainted.

* * *

Funny thing about the whole "heart-racing, ears pounding, palms sweating," and the "I could have fainted" thing. Sometimes, what you least expect to happen, really does.

Unfortunately.

Well, when my vision started to get cloudy and I could feel my grip around my two dollars and ten cents harden (I guess I must be _really_ cheap if I'm still holding on to two bucks at a time like this), I knew what was going to happen.

And I was just. A. Little. Embarrassed.

Okay, so I had fainted before, in fact there were at least two times in my life of which I have a vivid memory of fainting. I shall bore you with them now, (anything to put off what is coming as long as possible)

Well, the first time I had this experience, I was ten. In Disneyworld. (The first and only time I went there…) It was summer time and it was very hot, I was just walking around and then bam! I kept seeing lights and then this blackness blocked my eyes and I was falling. It took me about ten minutes to realize that the strange creature looking down at me with the big ears and nose was goofy, and I should stop screaming at him. It was actually really random. Just like- Bam! Faint!

The next time was like that also. Expect more embarrassing. I was in church, and it was also a hot summer day when I was twelve. I bent my neck up to look at the ceiling and suddenly felt dizzy and found myself on the floor. The ushers were nice to me, but they still tease me about it. ("Hello, Alyssa! Be careful! We don't want to lose you this time! Better pray really hard!") I can safely say I have never taken a good look at the ceiling since.

Well, I suppose it has to come next: I felt myself losing my balance in the dizziness and the lights in the cafeteria were getting brighter and brighter and splotchy until they were gone.

And I was on the floor.

(Ugh, figures...)

The last thing I heard was a yell from the girl next to me, drawing the entire room's attention to me (I'll have to find out who that was and give her a piece of my mind… oh who am I kidding? I won't) and a guy's familiar voice saying "hold on."

The voice was a tad _Too Familiar_.

Just guess whose it was. Really. I know you can get this.

Well, when I re-gained consciousness, it must have been because I felt like I was floating, expect rather like I was being… uh-oh… carried. I opened my eyes and my vision was still cloudy but I could see enough. And I was _nowhere_ near the ground.

In fact, someone _was_ carrying me. The same person I was talking about when I said that whole "Guess who it was," thing back there, so I hope you got it right.

"Hey, are you okay?" Austin smiled down at me, he seemed happy and yet concerned at the same time. It was adorable. I probably seemed confused and awkward. Most definitely _not_ adorable.

I tried to answer him, really I did, but I couldn't really take in what was going on and I was still confused as to why _he_ was here. Carrying me. And I felt like fainting again when I tried to understand it. So I stopped.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, and added a little more clearly, "You didn't have to carry me."

Okay so I admit that I really didn't mean for him to take that literally, because, quite frankly, who wouldn't want Austin carrying them in his arms? (Minus the "because you fainted when he winked at you" part). And that was not the only reason: I was still rather woozy from fainting. I doubt I really could have been able to stand.

Austin chuckled (that's right chuckled! How cute!) and said, "Okay then."

And he proceeded to put me down. It didn't work out very well. And I realized that telling him that he didn't have to carry me was not the brightest of ideas--

I let out a little "Oof!" as he let go and tried to set me up straight. I really tried to land with my feet on the ground, but, no such luck, and I found myself, yet again, on the floor.

Not just laying on the floor either, I wound up like I was keeling at his feet. (Again: Ugh, figures...)

Austin laughed a nice little laugh of pity and said, "Liar, I knew it..," and picked me up and started off again, still grinning, down the empty-minus-the-_very_-confused-looking-janitor hallway.

"Well, I didn't _really_ expect you to drop me!" I said in my best attempt at joking, looking at my hands which were on my stomach, not daring to pick up my face, knowing that the only discernible thing about it would be the redness.

He laughed more lightly this time, "Then why would say that I didn't need to carry you?!"

"Well, I just figured it was the polite thing to do! And it was the first thing that I came up with!"

"Well, you can't blame me for believing you!"

"True…"

We were still both grinning when we, finally, came to the door of the nurse's office. I hadn't really noticed but it really _was_ a long walk, which happens to be about the most ridiculous thing about this school – the nurse's office is about a quarter of a mile from the cafeteria… how does that make sense? And Austin had carried me like I weighed ten pounds! I guess the football players really _do_ work out and stuff at practice, even though I've only ever seen them goofing off or just throwing a football around…

"Well, what on earth is going on here?!" asked the Nurse, I know I should know her name, but in all my years in high school, I never really found myself in the nurse's office. Expect for those dumb hearing and vision tests. And maybe some band aids… Anyway, the nurse looked very surprised (to say the least) as she took in tall, (wonderful, amazing, gorgeous, etc.) Austin with (ridiculously lucky) me in his arms from her small, grandmotherly stature. I was surprised to see that she looked like she had dyed her hair dark brown.

"She fainted in the cafeteria," Austin explained, rather bluntly, though he was still smiling.

The nurse questioned him no further and motioned to a bed in another room set apart from the waiting area, behind her desk. I began to notice that we were not alone in the room, there was a girl in gym clothes sitting in one of the sets waiting, probably for an ice-pack, who I realized all too quickly was Lauren and when I was turning the corner (well, Austin, technically was the one turning…), I managed to give her a small wave. All I got in return was a rather absurdly shocked, open-mouth expression on her face.

"Here, you go, sweetie, (to me, motioning to the bed). You can put her down right here (to Austin)."

Austin did as he was told and set me down very gently on the papery covering of the bed. I didn't dare look up at him, while I tried to make the redness that was my face dim a little, since I couldn't hide it now, I had to lean back on the pillow.

"Thank you, young man, you can go back and eat your lunch now," the nurse said in the way all teachers do when they think they're the only thing stopping you from getting away with something.

I glanced up at his expression and he was looking rather glum; I realized I was probably wrong in assuming it was because he had to leave me, but it made my empty stomach fill with butterflies anyway.

"Well, wait," I managed to choke out; I usually didn't argue with a tone of authority, in fact I can't remember the last time I did, (I know, _pathetic_), "We only have, like, five minutes of lunch left, and we both didn't actually eat anything."

Need I mention that lunch in my school is extremely short? We have about twenty minutes and we all know that means about ten of actually eating. And those ten had already been wasted on the fainting and the walking to the nurse situation.

"That's true," Austin said softly and smiled, "You never know, she might just faint again from lack of food, then you're still gonna need me to be there and carry her back."

"Well," the nurse said, talking mostly to Austin, looking up at the clock and feigning a look of thinking deeply, "I suppose you are correct about that… (To me, then back to Austin) And you shouldn't be punished for doing a nice thing."

Whoa, I was not expecting her to cave like that! Why can't _I_ have a way with teachers like Austin obviously does? Probably because I'm not a hot guy. Life is not fair. Whoa, did I just say that?! I didn't mean it, really; I looked up to Austin, who obviously had not heard my mind. This fainting thing is making me paranoid. I really don't think that makes sense though… So I was contemplating how fainting could have the affect of making someone paranoid, while she continued.

"I suppose you both should stay until the bell rings for the next lunch," and she started toward the door.

"Okay," I said to the nurse.

She turned back to me and said, "I think you look okay now; you should just stay there for a few minutes and make sure you eat something after."

With that she left the room and Austin came to sit in an empty chair at the end of my bed that I guessed was for the nurse, not students, because it looked very comfortable.

There was a rather awkward-yet-not-awkward-pause of about three seconds before Lauren, with an ice-pack, peeked her head in to the room and came in when she saw me on the bed, "God, Alyssa, what happened to you?!"

"Oh, Lauren, I'm fine, I just… well, fainted."

"I know! I heard the nurse, but _why_?"

That was not the question I was eager to answer. Considering "Because Austin winked at me, duh," sounded a little ridiculous. Especially with him inches away…

"Just happened, I guess."

She was obviously not satisfied, but glanced at Austin and back to me and said, "Oh, well, um… Sorry, you should get some rest; I have lunch next, though, so I'll see you there, I just have to go back to gym and change,"

"Sure," I said, "What happened to you, anyway?"

She laughed, "Volleyball happened."

We laughed and Austin did too; joining in the conversation he said, "It really is crazy how violent people can get with that game."

"What an understatement," Lauren laughed in reply, and I was glad Austin had gotten to say something, "Well, see you at lunch."

With a wave she left the room, headed back to the gym.

So Austin and I were sitting in the nurse's office waiting for the bell to ring. A bell that would signal when I would finally be on my way (God willing) to _actually_ eating lunch with Austin.

* * *

**Hope you all liked it!! I'll have more up soon!! (well, as soon as i write it...)**

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